


Lampyridae

by demonsushi01



Series: Klance Trope Month 2k20 [18]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Sex, Altean Keith (Voltron), Angst, Assassin Lance (Voltron), Forbidden Love, Galra Lance (Voltron), M/M, POV Lance (Voltron), Prince Keith (Voltron), and lots of them, bodyguard lance, headcanons, im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:20:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24266539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonsushi01/pseuds/demonsushi01
Summary: Day 18. Forbidden LoveLance is a Galran hitman man for hire and gets a request to take out Altean Prince Keith. Unfortunately, some feelings come up and make things a bit complicated.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Klance Trope Month 2k20 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727086
Comments: 64
Kudos: 143





	Lampyridae

**Author's Note:**

> This uh... This one hurts. And that's all there is to say about that.
> 
> Also please enjoy the small handful of headcanons about Alteans and Galrans

Lance is not new to the art of deception and assassination. Doubly so when it’s for politics. However, this is the first time that he’s been asked to take out an Altean. Hardly anyone has anything against the peaceful folk. Heck, not even Lance does. But money is money, and boy someone _really_ wants this guy dead. 

So much so there’s an entire dossier on his target that comes with the first half of his pay. He familiarizes himself with the information and groans. Of course, the Altean is a _prince_ , because that pays so much higher than simple custody debates or ending affairs. He has a month before the prince pays a visit and he scrambles to get himself a place within the castle walls. 

He somehow schmoozes his way up the ranks of a simple guard to royal guard just in time. Emperor Zarkon chooses him to watch over the Altean prince until he leaves. Lance thanks his lucky stars that he doesn’t have to play the poison game and incapacitate someone else to get the position. He follows his emperor out to the landing strip and watches the Altean craft glide down to the planet. 

Out steps Prince Keith, looking exactly like he did in his photographs. Black hair tied in a braid over his right shoulder. Red Altean markings, distinguished by being thinner at the edges making the primary swoops and notable _secondary_ swoops under his eyes look sharper. They stretch a bit further too, one side reaching for his temple the other starting to curve down his cheek. It’s a sign of exposure to a raw form of Quintessence, though Lance can’t tell if it was willingly or not.

He does notice the right set of swoops are covered by Prince Keith’s longer sideburns, styled in such a way to hide them. It has him curious. If it weren’t for the fact he could see the tips peeking out from under his hair, he’d wonder if he was missing them.

“Prince Keith, it is an honor to welcome you here.” Emperor Zarkon holds his fist to his heart. 

“The honor is mine, Emperor.” He mimics the motion. “No one else in the universe is as adept as the Galran people to teach me.” Lance knows this is his cue. He steps forward, bowing deeply.

“Prince Keith, I will be your guard while you are here. If there’s anything you need, do not hesitate to ask.” 

“Thank you.” He says. Lance glances up at him, cold and calculating purple eyes locked onto his. 

He follows two steps behind his charge, his _target_ , as Emperor Zarkon shows him the palace. The prince thanks him as the tour ends at his suite. He steps in and Lance slips in as well. 

“Will you be needing anything for the night, your highness?” Lance asks. Prince Keith looks around the room, his stuff already having been hauled up. He takes a seat on his bed and looks over at Lance.

“What’s your name?”

“Excuse me?” Lance blinks.

“Your name, I _assume_ you have one. Or are you ‘prisoner three digits dash four digits’?” He sighs.

“I have a name, your highness.” Lance has a prisoner tag too and by golly was that the hardest thing to delete from databanks.

“Then?”

“My name is Lance.” 

“Lance. That’s different.” He hums softly, looking him over. “I won’t be needing anything tonight, thank you.”

“Of course.” Lance bows and then steps out of the room. With a deep breath, he begins to strategize. The prince will only be staying for roughly two months, but he can’t act within the first week. No, he’d be on his guard until he feels safe.

“Guess I gotta make a friend.” He sighs softly to himself. “How messy.”

.o0o.

Lance works hard on gaining Prince Keith’s trust and friendship. The guy does not make it easy for him that’s for sure. He’s clearly learning something from Emperor Zarkon’s druids, which has Lance on edge. He’s not allowed in the room and he’s honestly glad. It creeps him out just being _near_ the druids.

“Why are you learning from them anyway?” Lance asks as Keith makes his way to the dining hall after another lesson with them.

“Excuse me?” Keith glances over his shoulder at him. He looks tired, a bit wore out on the edges.

“Alteans have their own alchemists, don’t they? Why learn from our druids?” Lance tilts his head.

“...There are things that Altean alchemists refuse to do. The druids aren’t afraid of my questions.” Prince Keith answers, turning back around and continuing on.

“The druids aren’t exactly…” He trails off. 

“Altean alchemy allows for the healing of planets and bodies, for searching and finding, it’s a shield.” Prince Keith sighs, stopping and turning to face Lance. “The druids have destructive power. A sword, a gun, a bomb. And I am tired.”

“Of what?”

“Of being weak.” He hisses, marching the rest of the way to the dining hall in silence.

.o0o.

He’s standing outside of the prince’s room when he feels something is _wrong_. He pushes the door open silently, peering in, and catches sight of someone creeping in the room from the window. _Oh hell no._

He’s quick to rush in, tackling the intruder with a bodily _thud_. They shout and scream at him and it wakes the sleeping prince.

“Lance!?” He yelps, scrambling off the bed. Lance wrestles with the intruder, but he misses the knife and it plunges into his side a few times. She kicks Lance off and rises to her feet. He presses his hand to his injured side and shouts for help. The would-be assassin glares at him and lunges for Prince Keith. Lance is faster though, springing to his feet and pulling her away.

This time he pins the girl down, twists her arm until the knife falls, and waits for the others to arrive. 

“Prince,” Lance looks over his shoulder at him. “Are you injured?” 

“I’m fine.” He shakes and presses himself against the wall. He nods and turns back to his prisoner. 

“Who are you? Who do you work for?” Lance asks. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know, little cub?” The intruder hisses and Lance can feel his blood run cold. There’s no way anyone would know _he_ was the assassin, Blue Lion. He’s been so careful to hide his trail.

The other guards rush in, grabbing the intruder, and he rises to his feet when they have her in cuffs.

“I’ll get this taken care of.” Lance swipes the blade, fully intending to leave with the guards. 

“W-Wait!” Prince Keith calls out when Lance moves to leave. He pauses and looks over at him.

“Yes?”

“...Don’t leave.” There’s a fragility in his eyes that wasn’t there moments ago. This is the opening he needs.

“Okay, I’ll stay.”

“Thank you.”

He keeps pressure on the wounds in his side and Prince Keith notices. He chews his lip, and steps over. Lance watches his fingers twitch and he gives him a curious glance.

“Is something wrong?” 

“You’re bleeding.”

“I mean I _was_ stabbed.” He chuckles and winces. 

“Let me help.” 

“How?” 

“I did learn from the alchemists first.” The prince smiles weakly. 

“Will it hurt?”

“No more than being stabbed in the first place.”

“...Okay.” He agrees hesitantly. He takes a breath and clears his mind, making sure nothing suspicious could be detected in it. Prince Keith’s hands glow softly and, what he assumes is a Balmeran crystal under his shirt, glows too. _Channeling_. Lance moves his hand and arm out of the prince’s way. 

He hisses when his hands press against him. But the pain soon dulls and he finds it’s easier to breathe than before. Keith looks at his hands when he’s done, bright fuschia staining his palms. 

“Let’s wipe that off,” Lance says, getting up and grabbing a towel he sees hanging on the back of a chair. He soaks it in water in the ensuite bathroom, bringing it to the prince and scrubbing his blood off his hands.

“You need to rest, your highness,” Lance tells him as he goes to rinse the towel out.

“I can’t.” He says though he seems dead on his feet. Lance hums, grabbing a chair and pulling it up to his bedside.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure you can sleep. I’ll keep watch, don’t worry.” Lance smiles.

It still takes him quite the amount of time to fall asleep. Lance takes it as an opportunity to examine his target. Alteans are known for being hardy, and if he’s learning how to do self-defense with the druids, he’s going to be extremely dangerous. His eyes catch on the sight of red markings peeking out from his sleep shirt. 

He has to admit, the prince is _handsome_. 

But that’s a dangerous thought to have. He gets up and makes sure the window is tightly secured and wonders who sent someone else to do his job and how they knew who he was.

.o0o.

Prince Keith doesn’t go anywhere without Lance by his side now. He doesn’t mind, it makes it easier to get to be alone with the prince. However, every time he thinks it’s a perfect moment to strike, something happens. 

He’ll go to reach for the concealed knife he’d stolen from the intruder only for someone to come up and need him. The prince will be leaning against a railing and he goes to push, but the gardener walks past down below. He’ll loom over the prince’s sleeping form, pistol in hand, and the prince would twitch from a nightmare.

That one is a sign of his weakness. It’s a sign that he’s getting _too_ close. He runs his hand through his hair as he waits outside of the druid’s classroom. He has to put some distance back between them, otherwise, he runs the risk of being unable to accomplish his task. 

It’s hard. Prince Keith comes out, exhausted-looking again, and turns to Lance to chat with. He smiles and laughs at Lance’s jokes, he touches his arm and shoulder and lingers longer and longer. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the prince was falling for him. But he’d be dumb to do so. A prince and a bodyguard? It would never work.

So why does that hurt him?

.o0o.

Prince Keith has been with them for over a month now, almost done with his visit. Lance can’t seem to get himself any distance between them. He’s _actually_ concerned about the prince’s wellbeing. He _cares_ and talks and laughs with him. He’s in too deep and he honestly forgets what he’s supposed to be doing. 

He’s reminded by a letter in his quarters. It lays over his pillow when he finds it from staying the night with Prince Keith. Curious, he sits on his bed and looks it over. His stomach flips around immediately.

_I know who you are._

_They all will._

_Kill the prince, and I will forget._

_If not, your name will be known._

_You have until sunrise tomorrow._

The handwriting matches what was in the dossier, what was left for him to start the job. _Fuck_. He runs his hand through his hair as tears prick the back of his eyes. 

He can’t have his name be public information. He’d be wanted for so many crimes, so many murders, there’s no way he’d get anything but a brutal and gruesome death in front of a spectating audience. Or _worse_ , be thrown in the pits. Which almost sounds the same, but one has more dignity than the other. 

But he also can’t _kill_ Prince Keith. He flew too close to the sun and now he’s paying the price. He sits and silently cries, mourning the prince and nursing his broken heart. He knows what he _has_ to do. 

.o0o.

He stares at Prince Keith all day, convinces him to not go to his druid lessons and join him outside. He gets to admire how beautiful he looks with the backdrop of Sabrabeth and Rezsos, flowers that are blooming this season. He even plucks one of the white Ziellis and tucks it into Prince Keith’s hair. He caught sight of the red marks faintly glowing in response as he ducked his head. 

He wants him to know he was loved until the very end.

“Prince Keith?” 

“Just Keith.” He tells him as they walk to the dining hall for lunch.

“I’m allowed just your first name now?” Lance raises a brow. 

“I’ve been meaning to correct you for a while now.” 

“Well then, _Keith_ , do you um…” He isn’t sure how to go about asking him now.

“Do I?”

“Do you have plans this evening?” He asks. Keith looks him over, eyes rolling down his body and back up slowly, a smirk on his face.

“Only if you’re _finally_ offering.” He chuckles and opens the door. Lance feels his mouth go dry as Keith gets his food and sits at the table, chatting with one of the people there. _Okay, this is fine._

When Keith finishes eating he pulls him into a spare room and pushes him up against the door. His heart climbs up into his throat, amazed by his strength and he wonders if _all_ Alteans are this physically strong. 

“So tell me, Lance. _Are_ you offering?” Keith leans up, one hand cupping his jaw.

“I am.” He whispers. Keith chuckles.

“Good. So am I.” He closes the distance and kisses him. Lance’s hands settle on Keith’s waist and he shivers when he bites his lip.

It’s by no means a chaste thing, it’s heated and it makes his head spin just a bit. How long has Keith wanted to kiss him? His tongue slides against his, running over the roof of his mouth in a way that has him squirming. It’s hard to keep his hands from wandering over the prince. They slide over his back and clutch his shoulders for a few moments. 

Keith pins him more eagerly to the door, his hands against his chest now. One of Lance’s slides back down and he notes some spots make Keith gasp softly.

“Intense,” Keith whispers against his lips, eyes a bit unfocused.

“What is?”

“You.” His hands move to hold his face again and he’s not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing to be. “It’s good.” He chuckles as if he knew what he was thinking. Someone tries the door he’s pressed against and Keith quickly steps out of his arms, making sure his uniform is perfectly set. He looks great and his marks are glowing faintly. 

Lance steps aside to let the person in and Keith calmly walks out and whispers in his ear: 

“We’ll continue tonight.” 

That doesn’t stop Keith from riling him up when he gets the moment to and there’s no way that not a soul has noticed. So he’s thankful for the falling night, relieving the guard on duty and slipping into Keith’s room. He locks the door behind him, even props it shut with a chair.

“It’s like you’re trying to trap me in here.” Keith chuckles. 

“I just don’t want to be interrupted.” Lance turns and looks over at him. 

Keith’s not even in his nightclothes, still fully dressed in what he was wearing this morning. He sits on the edge of his bed and looks at him. 

“Are you just going to watch or will you join?” He raises a brow when Lance doesn’t move. 

“Oh, I’ll join.” Lance chuckles stepping over. He settles down into Keith’s lap, arms draping around his shoulders. Keith pulls him down into a kiss and he’s more than happy to reciprocate. At least, until Keith’s fingers bump against the stolen knife.

“Sorry, let me just,” Lance unsheathes it and sets it on the nightstand. Keith doesn’t seem to recognize it and just shakes his head. His hands slide down to his thighs and he raises a brow at the odd lump he finds.

“Gun.” Lance pulls it out of its holster and sets it with the knife.

“What other weapons do you have stashed away?” Keith looks him over.

“At least one other gun and four more blades,” Lance admits. “I take my role as a guard very seriously. Especially after…” He trails off. 

“Right…” Keith hums. “Well, get this armor off and drop your weapons?” He tugs on the chest plate. He nods, standing back up. He gets one blade from each boot out and one from each of his sleeves. He pulls off his chest plate and removes his second gun secured underneath.

“That…is impressive,” Keith says. 

“Thanks.” Lance smiles as he undoes the rest of his armor. He sets the pieces aside, even peeling the under layer off too so he’s only in his skivvies. Keith reaches out, his hand pressing against his stomach and sliding up to his chest. 

“You should be undressed too.” He tells him, taking his hand and kissing his wrist. 

“Then come here.” Keith pulls him close and guides Lance’s hands through the act of opening his shirt.

He stares at the red markings that decorate his chest, arms, and shoulders. They’re thinned and sharpened like the ones on his face. He can’t tell if they look different than normal past that. All of them are glowing faintly.

“I’ve never seen Altean markings like these.” He murmurs, his hands reaching out and tracing them. Keith stiffens under his touch, gasping and eyes falling shut.

“We tend to be more private of the ones on our body,” Keith mentions. 

“Explains why you cover so much of yourselves up.” He follows one down Keith’s forearm and when Keith flips it, Lance can see there’s even a few along his wrist to the edge of his palm that are normally covered by his gloves. He pulls Keith to his feet so he can get his pants off. The prince works them down his legs as Lance scrambles to get his boots off. There are more markings along his legs. 

His hands slide along them, enjoying the feel of Keith under his palms, he shivers and makes a soft noise as Lance grabs his waist. Catching on these seem to be sensitive, he rubs his thumbs in circles around the ones that peek up from his hip. Keith twitches and moans and Lance can feel himself getting quite red. 

He pushes Keith, back onto the bed, lips colliding eagerly. Keith runs his hands along his back and he leans into it, one of his own tangling in Keith’s hair. Keith jerks, gently pushing Lance back. He tilts his head curiously as he looks down at him. Keith’s hand moves to take his, gently pulling his thumb off his right side of markings.

“Not there.” He seems uncomfortable and Lance shifts his hand.

“Is something wrong?” He asks. Keith glances to the side not exactly answering. Hesitantly, Lance brushes Keith’s hair out of his face. A thick scar splits the markings, curving up from his jaw and ending just above the primary one. Keith’s eyes fall shut as he frowns.

“I know, it’s ugly.” 

“Ugly?” Lance tilts his head. “It’s not ugly.”

“My marks are broken.” Keith’s eyes open up again. 

“Maybe it’s a cultural thing because I don’t see anything wrong with them.” He goes to brush his thumb against it, but Keith pulls his head away.

“Don’t… It feels weird. Touch me literally anywhere else, any other mark, but… not that one.”

“Okay.” Lance nods pressing his lips to his forehead. “I’ll leave it. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, I know you don’t mean harm.” Keith hums, his hands settling on his back once more. He feels a stab of guilt but covers it with a smile. Keith tilts his head, looking a bit distantly as if he’s staring into Lance’s entirety. 

_Now_ that’s _what’s ugly._ He pushes the thought aside and kisses Keith. He’s pulling his bottom lip into his mouth and nipping at it. Keith sighs happily, arching up so their chests are touching. When he breaks the kiss it’s to trail smaller ones down the side of the prince’s neck. He tilts his head and Lance has to reel in the instincts that tell him to bite down and make the prince his _mate_.

The death of one’s mate can be felt from planets away. He hears it’s excruciating and leaves no question for how the other passed. Even peaceful loss is devastating. And to always have a piece of you missing, always reaching out for it? He’d be a fool. 

Who knows how many mate bonds he’d severed by execution. _Best not to think about that now_. He shakes his head and kisses Keith’s jaw again. The man stares up at him, staring through him.

“You still with me?” Lance asks.

“Yeah.” He nods. “You’re just intense.” He chuckles.

“You said it was a good thing earlier.”

“It is.” He hums, hands skimming along his spine. “You know something?”

“Hmm?”

“I thought you’d be fuzzier.” 

“Ugh, no. My blood comes from a different house, more skin and fine hair than thick fur.” He says. 

“Do all Galrans purr?” Keith asks as he moves his hands to trace his arms.

“Do all Alteans glow?” Lance shoots back. The marks brighten at the mention of it.

“Yes. It’s… triggered by strong feelings.” 

“We, or at least, _I_ purr when I’m content,” Lance responds in kind. He leans down and kisses along the marking on Keith’s collarbone. One of his hands skims along Keith’s side, tugging at the waistband of his undergarment.

Keith shifts and helps him pull it off his body. His marks glow even brighter as he drops his arm over his eyes. He runs his hand down the center of Keith’s body until he palms his groin. At first, he assumes the prince is built like he is, an internal organ only, which he knows how to take care of rather well. But after stroking the folds, tracing his fingers over the markings there as well, something peeks out of them.

“Oh!” He gasps with a grin. “Hello!” It’s slick and wraps eagerly around his fingers. It’s red like his markings at its base slowly shifting to an aqua color near its tip and under it. Keith squirms as he gently rolls his fingers over it.

“Was not expecting the blue, I will admit.” Lance chuckles.

“Have you not seen Altean blood?” 

“No.”

“Well, now you know.” He whines. 

“Blue huh?” He untangles his hand from Keith’s happy little friend. He wiggles his own underwear off, kicking them to the side. Keith lifts his arm, wanting to see Lance more than he is embarrassed. He sits up a bit and Lance lets him run his hand along his thigh. 

He bites his lip and sighs softly when he slides his fingers through his folds. His hands fall on Keith’s shoulders as he finds his entrance and presses a finger inside of him. 

“Haa..” He shivers as Keith easily gets a second one in without resistance. He _has_ been worked up all day after all. 

“Okay.” Keith hums softly.

“Okay?”

“Like, at least we’re compatible parts wise?” Keith tilts his head and thrusts his fingers shallowly into him. Lance can feel his thighs start to shake from keeping him lifted on his knees enough for Keith to have room. 

“Yeah it’d suck, but we’d figure it out.” Lance rocks back on the fingers and Keith kisses his jaw.

“How do you want to do this?” He nips his ear.

“Honestly, just fuck me.” 

“Lay down?” Keith pulls his fingers out of Lance and he whines and throws himself onto his back. He spreads his legs wide to give the prince ample room. Keith settles between them, hands skimming his thighs and pulling him into his lap.

He gasps when he feels the tip of Keith’s bulge slide between his folds. It traces his entrance and then dips in. He reaches up and grabs Keith’s shoulders again as it fills him slowly. 

“Sh-- Fuck!” He chokes on a moan. Keith mumbles something that Lance is fairly certain is some Altean prayer.

“You okay?” He asks when he’s fully seated inside of him. It feels much longer and thicker than when it was in his hand.

“Need a second.” Lance gasps. He can tell Keith is trying his best to keep it as still as possible. But dear merciful ones it rubs against all the right places inside of him. Keith showers him in kisses wherever he can reach. It helps when Lance hooks his legs around Keith’s waist allowing him to lean over him. 

“Okay.” Lance breathes.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, fuck me.” Lance chuckles. Keith presses his forehead to Lance’s and rolls his hips. 

His bulge squirms inside of him, making him shiver and moan. Keith covers his face, jaw, and shoulders. Instincts have him offering up his throat for his mate but Keith leaves no bite, just gentle presses of his lips. 

In fact, the softness of Keith’s kisses counters greatly to the slick sounds between them. His bulge starts to stiffen up, more firm as he takes Lance’s pleas for _harder_ and _more_ seriously. He finds that _one spot_ in him that makes him near scream as his hands scramble to grasp Keith. 

His palms wrap around his arms, pressing against the markings and Keith _jolts_ , a loud moan of his own ripping out of him. _Very sensitive_. Lance has the mental capacity to run his hands eagerly over all the bright, nearly white, marks he can find. 

He couldn’t tell you who started screaming first. From Keith grasping his hips so tightly, they’re certainly bruising and slamming him into the mattress nice and hard to Lance pressing his thumb against the left markings on Keith’s face causing him to lean heavily into the touch. All he knows is that Keith feels impossibly _thicker_.

“Fuck Keith! Please!” He grasps the sheets tightly with his hand that isn’t attached to Keith’s face. He doesn’t even know what he wants other than Keith but he babbles anyway.

“Please! I want -- oh fuck -- _yes there_ \--” 

“Lance,” Keith tucks his face against his shoulder and he whines. Keith turns his head, lets his teeth scrape against his neck, and his brain fries itself. 

“ _Bite me_ ,” He begs. “ _Mate_ me.” Consequences be damned. Keith presses his teeth against his neck and it has him arching off the bed when Keith nails that spot in him again. His hand moves from the sheets to clutch at his arm and press hard against the marks there and the one under his thumb on Keith’s face.

Lance knows he finishes with a loud scream of Keith’s name as he too moans and spills inside of him. He can feel Keith spasm under the pressure on his marks and he lets his hands fall to the bed, boneless as the rest of him. He’s twitching, can feel himself pulse around Keith who’s whimpering softly. 

Keith pulls himself out when he can, bulge tucking itself back away. He lays beside Lance, chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. _He never bit him_ , Lance realizes when his hand comes up to his neck. There’s no broken skin, only the faintest indents from where his teeth had been and they’re fading fast. He reaches out for Keith, fingers ghosting along the edges of his marks.

“My little Lampyridae.” He chuckles. Keith looks at him in a daze, especially when Lance touches his marks fondly. Keith eventually reaches up and takes his hand, holding it and being careful to not let the marks on his palm and wrist touch him.

“Too much?” He asks.

“Intense.” Keith mumbles. “Brain. Murder. Moment. Pardon.” He’d never heard an Altean accent butcher a string of words like that. Even less so in Galran.

“You’re brain dead and need a moment?” He asks.

“Truth.” _Yes_. Lance smiles and presses his lips to Keith’s forehead. 

He lays like that until Keith’s breath evens out and then slows. A glance at Keith’s face shows him the expression of what he’s long since memorized as being asleep. _No._ He doesn’t want to do this. He tucks his hair behind his ear, his fingers skimming against the marks on his shoulders. 

He _can’t_ do this. It hurts too much. But he’s never quit mid-job, always took out his targets. Failure isn’t an option, not with his own life at risk. Neither option is worth it. Kill Keith, lose him forever, or pass mercy and die at the hands of the Emperor himself. He feels sick when he sits up and grabs his pistol, he makes his choice and it’s _living_. 

_It’ll be quick, he won’t feel it, he won’t suffer,_ he tells himself. His hand shakes and when he turns back to Keith he gasps. Keith is watching him, his eyes flick to the pistol and back to him. He pushes himself to sit up as well.

“Have you decided then?” He asks.

“What?”

“To kill me.” He looks at the gun again. 

“...You’re supposed to be asleep.” Lance frowns.

“You’re too intense.”

“What does that even _mean_?”

“Do you not know about Altean markings?”

“Do I look like I was _told_?”

“Lance, they’re empathetic sensors. I could almost hear your thoughts with how strong you feel.” 

“So, you’ve known then.”

“...For a while.” He admits. They both fall silent. The glow from Keith’s marks has faded out, leaving them in darkness. 

“Will it hurt?” Keith asks and it breaks Lance’s heart.

“In the head? You won’t even feel it.” 

“Promise?” Keith looks up at him. Lance swallows thickly and raises his weapon, hands no longer shaking.

“I promise.” He whispers. Keith takes a deep breath and nods.

“Do I get any last words?”

“Only I’ll know them.”

“That’s fine by me.” 

“Then?” Lance asks.

“...I love you.” Keith whispers. 

“...I love you too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> So uh... yeah  
> Smut x3 combo
> 
> This originally wasn't going to end so darkly but um... it did. 
> 
> Feel free to scream at me in the comments below or at demon-sushi on Tumblr


End file.
